Literature Reviews

Reviewed research papers, articles, and publications relevant to digital accessibility.

• Open, Accurate, and Calibration-Free Muscle-Computer Interfaces

  Ethan Eddy, Evan Campbell, Erik J. Scheme, Scott Bateman (2026) — Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Eddy and colleagues tackle one of the long-standing barriers to practical muscle-computer interfaces (MCIs): that accurate, cross-user gesture recognition from forearm EMG has historically required either per-user calibration or access to closed data…

  • muscle-computer interface
  • electromyography
  • EMG
  • gesture recognition
  • machine learning
  • wearable technology
  • alternative input
  • myoelectric control
  • open source
  • prosthetics

• Grassroots Maker Perspectives on Participation in Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technology Development

  Saquib Sarwar, David Wilson, Khairul Mahbub (2026) — Proceedings of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '26)

  Sarwar, Wilson, and Mahbub interviewed 20 grassroots DIY assistive-technology (DIY-AT) makers in the U.S. between July 2021 and December 2023 to build a maker-centered account of the DIY-AT ecosystem. Participants were recruited from social media (Re…

  • DIY assistive technology
  • assistive technology
  • 3D printing
  • digital fabrication
  • makerspace
  • maker culture
  • occupational therapy
  • democratization
  • prosthetics
  • interdependence
  • qualitative research
  • open source

• The Global Care Ecosystems of 3D Printed Assistive Devices

  Saiph Savage, Gabriela Marcu, Karina Caro, Hilda Chavez, Rosa I. Arriaga (2022) — ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing

  This study examines the global care ecosystems that have emerged around 3D printed assistive devices, focusing on upper limb prosthetics. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 31 stakeholders from 10 different care ecosystems span…

  • 3D printing
  • assistive technology
  • prosthetics
  • maker movement
  • care ecosystems
  • global health
  • e-NABLE
  • upper limb prosthetics
  • multi-stakeholder collaboration

• Making Connections: Modular 3D Printing for Designing Assistive Attachments to Prosthetic Devices

  Megan Kelly Hofmann (2015) — ASSETS '15: Proceedings of the 17th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers & Accessibility

  This doctoral consortium abstract presents a modular design methodology for creating affordable, customized 3D-printed assistive attachments for prosthetic limbs. The approach addresses a key limitation of current assistive technology: highly customi…

  • 3D printing
  • prosthetics
  • assistive technology
  • rapid prototyping
  • modular design
  • upper limb amputation
  • participatory design

• Cyborg Pride: Self-Design in e-NABLE

  Peregrine Hawthorn, Daniel Ashbrook (2017) — Proceedings of the 19th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS)

  This experience report documents the journey of Peregrine Hawthorn, born without fingers on his left hand, from being a recipient of a 3D-printed e-NABLE prosthetic hand to becoming an active designer, fabricator, and advocate for self-efficacy withi…

  • 3D printing
  • DIY assistive technology
  • prosthetics
  • disability identity
  • self-determination
  • open source
  • participatory design
  • limb difference
  • maker culture

• Using data from social media websites to inspire the design of assistive technology

  Xing Yu (2016) — Proceedings of the 13th International Web for All Conference (W4A)

  This doctoral consortium paper proposes using social media data as a low-cost, scalable method to inform the design of assistive technology, addressing limitations of traditional user research approaches. The author argues that designing assistive te…

  • assistive technology
  • social media
  • natural language processing
  • machine learning
  • prosthetics
  • user research
  • sentiment analysis
  • design methodology

• Disability design and innovation in computing research in low resource settings

  Dafne Zuleima Morgado-Ramirez, Giulia Barbareschi, Maggie Kate Donovan-Hall, Mohammad Sobuh, Nida' Elayyan, Brenda T Nakandi, Robert Tamale Ssekitoleko, Joyce Olenja, Grace Nyachomba Magomere, Sibylle Daymond, Jake Honeywill, Ian Harris, Nancy Mbugua, Laurence Kenney, Catherine Holloway (2020) — Proceedings of the 22nd International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2020)

  This experience report from a large international team spanning UCL, University of Southampton, University of Jordan, Makerere University (Uganda), University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of Salford, and the Global Disability Innovation Hub present…

  • disability innovation
  • ICT4D
  • low resource settings
  • Disability Interaction
  • inclusive design
  • Global South
  • participatory design
  • wheelchair provision
  • prosthetics
  • mobile phones
  • co-design